Wayne State & Michigan State (CHM)

i've heard that msu is way nicer, just because 1) its not in detroit, lansing is a much nicer place to spend 4+ years, and 2) i hear the student:cadaver ratio is huge at wayne because of its huge class size. that's just my outside opinion, i've never even been to detroit

I might be biased but

CHM
Pros:
Great academic environment
Great student environment
Faculty is at your fingertips
Wonderful student lounge accessible 24/7, good sense of security
With the Grand Rapids move: more clinical experience, $ and research

Cons:
Move after 2nd yr
not as much clinical exposure cause of lack of hospital


Wayne
Pros:
Being in inner city has +s and -s
get clinical experience, interesting cases
great research

Cons:
surrounding area not somewhere u want to be after dark (trust me, cause we usually go to a club across the street)
personally speaking, u'll be more in touch with ur classmates at CHM, hence more cooperation


If I had to choose it's CHM, cause I know i'll succeed academically because they'll bend their back to provide me with resources to make it happen. I want the total med schl experience meaning i'd like to feel like I'm part of something. Plus i can still get clinical experience, i just have to try a lil bit harder.

There have been several threads discussing this, its your choice,its 2 different schls, either one is great depending on what ur looking for. For me its CHM, and this is coming from someone who'd pick CHM over U of M(spent time around their med schl resources) anyways.

Totally in the same boat, although I'm really considering George Washington. I think I lean towards Wayne, especially now that I'm probably going to live in Michigan long term and like the rep of the long-standing research oriented school. I'm also older (26) and already know what I want long term. MSU is nice but the facilities are so piecemeal and the lack of continuity in the block III years is lame. I was a neurobio major and am also really attracted to the neuroscience research opportunities at Wayne.

I was also making the same decision between these two schools. I chose Wayne, mostly because I don't like how the 3rd and 4th year at MSU are run. I like how Wayne is all still centered around one main area, so all classmates can stay together and everyone stays right by the campus. But that's just my opinion.

I've got to vote for Wayne.
When I started the application process, I thought that CHM would be my first choice. After doing the interviews and such, I was really leaning towards Wayne. I'm not sure how that happened, seeing as Wayne's interview day wasn't all that instructive, especially compared to CHM.
The only things I don't love about Wayne are the grading scale (I'm not super competetive, and I'd rather not have my grades depend entirely on other people) and the location.
I've also heard people (physicians) say that Wayne is the best medical education in the state.
Good luck!

one thing to realize is that the decision is entirely yours. I suggest u write down exactly what u want in a schl, and then compare it to the 2 options. they are 2 entirely different options. We can all give our suggestions but then again anyone will say their schl is better.

Augh! I'm totally in the same position as ddmoore! I've been trying to decide between the two...which should be an easy decision because they are pretty different. But I don't really know what I want to go into...either EM or Pediatrics...and for EM, I should go to Wayne because of the clinical exposure and the 'connections' you can make with Detroit Recieving... and for Peds I should go to MSU, because they are so stinkin' good at primary care...

I don't know how much a decision location should be a factor in this decision.... I think I'm pretty flexible and could handle either...

(Someone commented on the student:cadaver ratio being high at Wayne, but it is only 7/body...at MSU it is 15 because they mix the osteo. school in with the allo. school...)

The Battle continues!

Pick Wayne State!

Why I like Wayne over MSU.

Personally, I'm not a fan of PBL so I wasn't particularly thrilled when I learned on my interview day that MSU is entirely PBL for 2nd year. Secondly, their clinical training sites are at four different locations within the state. I would like to buy a house/condo but at MSU that wouldn't be such a good idea since you get your training assignment via a lottery system. So after your second year you'll most likely have to move again. Sucks totally! Plus some training sites are better than others, meaning more hands on, independence etc. Which is great if you are at that site but sucks if you're not.

I think people down Wayne St. because it isn't a "name brand" school like MSU or U of M. But when it comes to clinical training and research Wayne is definitely ahead of MSU. Wayne State's location doesn't help its image either but neighborhood/poverty doesn't bother me. For other people that is important factor, for me I see it as an opportunity to help those that need it most.

I will admit Wayne's interview day definitely left more to be desired. But in spite of their brief interview day I favor Wayne over MSU.

Well I'm sure I've said too much.

Cheers!
rmp

docchick said:

Augh! I'm totally in the same position as ddmoore! I've been trying to decide between the two...which should be an easy decision because they are pretty different. But I don't really know what I want to go into...either EM or Pediatrics...and for EM, I should go to Wayne because of the clinical exposure and the 'connections' you can make with Detroit Recieving... and for Peds I should go to MSU, because they are so stinkin' good at primary care...

I don't know how much a decision location should be a factor in this decision.... I think I'm pretty flexible and could handle either...

(Someone commented on the student:cadaver ratio being high at Wayne, but it is only 7/body...at MSU it is 15 because they mix the osteo. school in with the allo. school...)

The Battle continues!

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15:1...where did u get ur info from? I really doubt it!!!

ddmoore54 said:

I think the problem is that I am not really sure what I want. I am sure that Wayne would give me better clinical exposure, however I have a feeling that I would hate the environment. At the same time, Wayne has been less than helpful in regards to the whole process of deciding. I feel like it is my birthday if I am lucky enough to even get a mass email. Still haven't heard from their financial aid people. I even went down and interviewed the dean of admissions to ask him some questions. The only tell-tale thing he said was when I asked him what would happen if Receiving closed. His response, "Let's not talk about that, I don't want to even think about it. I guess we would figure something out." Err, that's encouraging.

I think at this point it is time to decide whether I would be happier with potentially a better medical education, or spending medical school in an environment I enjoy...

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Tough choice. Like i said really depends on what exactly ur lookin for. I need a student friendly community, where people are accessible, and that way if i need help they are always reachable!!

JunkintheTrunk said:

i hear the student:cadaver ratio is huge at wayne because of its huge class size.

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I know this is not what this thread is about, but I just thought I would comment on this. Last year, when I was in year one at Wayne, we had a 6:1 student-cadaver ratio.
I'm not understanding the reason why student/cadaver ratio is an issue. Are you thinking you won't get much experience with the dissection? Honestly, I'm not being sarcastic or anything, this is just one of those issues I've read about on this board, but never really comprehended.
I don't know about other schools, but at Wayne there is PLENTY of work for everyone to do. You work with two other people on your side of the cadaver, one person cuts, one person reads the instructions, and one is a floater for the day, looking at accompanying MRI's, prosections, cross-sections, and other cadavers (which is important because you are tested on all the cadavers). Then you switch jobs the next day. Trust me, there were days when I wished the ratio was HIGHER, so I could spend more time looking at what we had already cut the day before.

Anyway, good luck to all of you who are deciding on schools.

Hi,
Just an idea, look at each school's match list this year and compare it to where you want to end up someday. People do generalize that MSU-CHM is primary care and primary care only. True, they did place many people into primary care this year, but I saw the match list myself. I was impressed! Some very good specialties including: Rad-Onc at St. Vincents NYC, Internal Medicine at Einstein , OHSU and Loyola, Ophthalmology, a few Radiology people, Anesthesiolgy at Tufts, UMich, UWisc, Loyola, a few ER matches even a Urology match. Now to say that MSU is primary care and primary care only is simply not true, and obviously the students there get enough clinical exposure to match some very competitive specialties. Now I don't have much info on Wayne's match list, but from the web page it does look good and I know that it has been in the past. Don't get me wrong, Wayne is an excellent medical school. It is well known for many areas of research and puts people in good places. They have some excellent residencies as well, including rad-onc and ophtho that are outstanding. But I remember when I was applying, everyone said that you should only go to CHM if you wanted to do family practice. This post is simply to rebut some of that. I am from Michigan and will be doing an MSU Transitional Year starting in July, so I do have an interest in what goes on at MSU.

bump bump bump

An ex-Wolverine here -

I am moving from the beach in sunny La Jolla, CA to return to Detroit and do the MS Program with HOPEFULLY getting a spot in the medical school at Wayne.

That being said - I have heard great things about both schools - East Lansing has that great college feel - beautiful in the fall, pretty safe etc.

Wayne is a commuter campus, but really connected to a few great hospitals in Detroit.

If MSU had a similar program, I would have applied to it.

Not looking forward to the 4 day roadtrip back to MI.

Hi,

I'm finishing up my first year at Wayne and am willing to answer specific questions if you want to PM me.

-scis

I'm a CHM 3rd year at the Grand Rapids campus...let me know if you have specific questions by sending me a PM.....

I also had to choose between Wayne and CHM..I choose CHM. I'll fill in why if anyone is interested.

Mossjoh

Munchkin57 said:

I was also making the same decision between these two schools. I chose Wayne, mostly because I don't like how the 3rd and 4th year at MSU are run. I like how Wayne is all still centered around one main area, so all classmates can stay together and everyone stays right by the campus. But that's just my opinion.

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What is the complaint about the 3rd and 4th year at MSU? I applied there and am just curious.

cmudan said:

Hey Mossjoh, Just wondering if you know any good place to live that is close to the life sciences building. I am looking into homestead apts. What have you heard about them?

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Hey Cmudan,

Homestead kicks ass!! I just got a place there-they have sweet deals on two bedrooms, and you can get a fireplace on the third floor. Talk to Jessica and tell her you want a month free and a $500 visa gift card. She might pretend to not know what you're talking about but press her and you'll get it.

sancho

oh, tell her Andy from C35 told you about it-I'll split the ref. bonus with yah!!


MSU CHM class of 2008

Sancho said:

Hey Cmudan,

Homestead kicks ass!! I just got a place there-they have sweet deals on two bedrooms, and you can get a fireplace on the third floor. Talk to Jessica and tell her you want a month free and a $500 visa gift card. She might pretend to not know what you're talking about but press her and you'll get it.

sancho

oh, tell her Andy from C35 told you about it-I'll split the ref. bonus with yah!!


MSU CHM class of 2008

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hey whats up people! Countdown begins!!
went out with some of our classmates last night, i guess with monday exams, have to get used to partyin whenever we can, especially on weekdays

I just decided to take the biochem waiver exam, makes sense to attempt it, nothing to lose.

lotanna said:

hey whats up people! Countdown begins!!
went out with some of our classmates last night, i guess with monday exams, have to get used to partyin whenever we can, especially on weekdays

I just decided to take the biochem waiver exam, makes sense to attempt it, nothing to lose.

Click to expand...

yo lotanna-rock on girl
I'll see you guys out there next week hopefully after I move

yeah, if there is an axis of evil in this world, monday exams are right in there with Chairman Mao, parking tickets, and friggin menudo!!!!
though when you're unemployed it's always the weekend baby

Don't jump on that biochem waiver exam so fast. Its hard! Only one person my year passed it. Also, its good to at least review biochem, it is on the Step 1 exam.

I do not know much about Homestead. I lived at Village Green in Lansing (by the Lansing mall). A few of my friends lived at Berrytree, but I wasn't to impressed by that place.

Good luck with what you decide.

Mossjoh